My Super Bowl ended earlier than other peoples. By the time the final gun sounded I was already studying my eye lids.

My day had an early start. I woke, thinking about what I needed to do. It was about four-thirty in the morning. I don't know why, but lots of time I think my brain is much more gung ho than my body. I busied myself, trying not to be tempted to call the straggler driver who had a late night.

Finally about ten I had a moment and I called the man and left him a message. Shortly there after I hit the road headed to the farm shop. I arrived and began making preparations, for what we needed to do, when the man finally returned my call. "I'll be there by noon", the man said.

By the time he arrived I had the service trailer strategically positioned, jacks waiting, 1" impact attached to the air line, and I even had two tires and wheels off the wrecked truck. The driver parked his truck behind the wrecked one and immediately we jacked the back rearend in the air. We took his tires and wheels off and he began putting the newer ones on his truck while I began putting the worn out ones on the wreck. He was almost done when I walked over to inspect the work.

"This isn't going to work", I said. "The lug bolts on your truck are one-half inch too short to catch a full nut of thread." The driver looked at what I had said and concurred. "That's just my luck, you'll get use to it if you stay around long enough", I said.

What this meant was my quick and easy fix was out the window. Aluminum wheels are much thicker than steel wheels (in order to get comparable strength), and when his truck was outfitted from the factory it was spec'd out for steel wheels. This meant we would have to break down the four tires and wheels from the wrecked truck and also from the drivers truck and put the tires from the aluminum wheels on the steel wheels and vice versa, at least enough to keep the wrecked truck off the ground.

Darn the luck. A little over two hours and a back ache later we were done and putting up tools.

The driver went to enjoy the remainder of his day off while I closed the shop and hopped in my little S-10 for the drive home.

The little truck did O.K. for the shake down run. I'm not happy with performance, but then it has never performed. It is an economical means of transportation. Period. I will check all my fluid levels before I embark on the return trip this morning.

I am due in St. Lawrence this morning about 10:30. If plans remain the same I am going to meet Rian and Holt to pick up Don the pig, then I will hook to my last remaining travel trailer for the jaunt to Roscoe. Of course the underlying cause for the trip is to present a weekly bill for the hauling.

My day was "jump" started. My cell phone rang at 4:28. I hate early morning phone calls. They can be nothing but bad news. Pepa's driver was on the line and he had forgotten the PIN number of his fuel card at the local co-op. I'll have to look and see if I can find a gun when I see this man next time.

I returned to bed, but my heart was beating out of my chest! Oh well, I just got up and began my day!

I've read the newspaper on-line, read all the Super Bowl stories, and checked e-mail. I guess I will hop in the tub and soak my aching back and soak in a little more Grisham. I don't want to be too early arriving in St. Lawrence.

Hey, have a day!

FATHER, thank YOU for the blessings of this day. I pray for safety, for me, for Rian and Holt, and for our workers. I lift up Krl for YOUR gifts of healing and care. I pray for our leaders. FATHER thank YOU for the work we have to do. Help us to be good workers. Forgive us when we fall short. YOU are my all in all!